Road sign



Aug- 4, 1931A w. H. CARSON 1,817,064

ROAD' SIGN Filed Aug. 16, 1928 a sToPaNv EAT/0 wa 'wpd/11 m THE N ATV'PHE RCKFOKDCHF'E l `OCKPOR HOTEL Invenor. www Wwf jy Ziailorvys Patented Aug. 4, 1931 WILLIAM CARSON, OF NEW ROCKFORD, NORTH DAKOTA Roan sien Application filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 299,964,

This invention relates to signs, especially adapted for application at the sides oit a road or highway for the purpose of attracting the attention of tourists or. passers-by.

'5 It is an object of my invention to provide a simple sign structure of few parts adapted to withstand heavy wear and attractive in appearance.

Another object is to provide a road sign,

I0, especially adapted to display several different advertisements or matters oit information and so constructed that it will not sag or be blown over by heavy winds and further cannot be easily damaged by passers-by.

t6 Another object is to provide a road sign which will readily attract the attention of tourists and passers-by but which will not obstruct the view from the road or be objectionable on the ground that it mars the scenery and natural beauty.

Another object is to provide a road sign having at least a pair of panels swingably mounted to decrease the resistance to the fr wind, the construction'ofthe support for said panels and the mounting of said panels thereon being extremely simple but of 1mproved and novel structure.

These and other objectsand advantages ot t, the invention will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which Fig. l is a front elevation of an improved embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l, showingthe manner of at- `taching the upper panel to the support or standard; Y

Fig. 4 is a crossV section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. l showing my novel means for Vswingably attaching the lower panels to the beam or head of the support; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view mostly in vertical section, showing the manner in which the beam or head piece is rigidly attached to the vertical supporting member or post. y As illustrated, I provide a support in the form or" a vertical post 6, which may be ot tubular construction, the lower end of said post preferably being set in a suitable base 7, which may be constructed of concrete. A cross piece or beam 8 is rigidly affixed to the upper end of post G. rl`his cross piece is preferably of tubular structure and ot smaller diameter than the post 6. rf'he upper end of the post 6 is provided with a semi-circular recess 6a cut therein to receive the cross piece 8 and the central portion ot the cross piece is preferably welded securely to the said recessed upper end as shown in Fig. 5. ln constructing my signs the recesses 6a may be formed by drilling a suitable sized circular hole through the tubular stock from which the posts are made. The stock is then cut in two on a line intersecting the circular hole, leaving the semi-circular recesses Ga at the ends of' the two posts.

A pairof display plates shown of rectangular form are suspended from the cross piece 8, one disposed at each side of post 6. It is desirable to swingably suspend these plates in order that they will not oli'er too great a resistance to the wind and it is also desirable to provide simple connection means which will positively prevent displacement of the plates, while rendering replacement easy and which will also minimize the noise or squeaking when the plates are swung in a wind. To these ends, I prefer to connect the plates by means of hook bolts l0 having threaded shanks passing vertically through suitable apertures formed in the cross piece 8 and adjustably secured to said cross piece by means of nuts ll engaging the upper ends of said shanlrs. Hook bolts l0 terminate in arcuate hooks 10a at their lower ends, said hooks being opened only a suf'licient distance to accommodate the thickness ot the plates 9, said hooks being adapted to pass through suitable apertures in the plates adjacent the upper horizontal edges thereof. After connection with the plates, the lnuts are tightened upon the upper -ends of the shanks of bolts l0 and the hooks are thus drawn against the lower portion ot cross piece 8 positively preventing displacement of said plates from the hooks when said plates are swung.

idly aiiiXed to the cross piece 8 extending centrally of said cross piece and alined. therewith. I prefer to secure upper plate 12 in in lthe manner illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein a pair of clips 13 surrounds cross piece 8 having the upstanding fingers 13a between which plate 12 may be clamped by means of suitable clamping r'bo-lts lll. Horizontal bolts 15 may entend through the circular portion of clip 13 and dianietrically through cross piece 8 to prevent the clips from turning upon the cross piece.

If desired, a highway marker or addi* tional display plate 16 may be centrally secured to the upper edge of the upper plate 12 extending preferably vertical and in alinement with, plate 12. The plate 16 is preferably made of sheet metal and has a clip or U-shaped portion 160, at'its lower edge, said clip portion straddl'ing the upper edge of plate 12 and secured thereto by' means of transverse clamping bolts 17 ein tending through the opposite sides of said clip and alsothrough plate 12.

rPhe ends of cross piece V8 are preferably n closed by ornamental knobs or plugs 8a GIE which may have cylindrical vinner portions adapted to snugly telescopel within the eX-V tremities of the cross piece.

The signs are preferably installed at the sides of the road with the cross piece 8 eX- tending at right. angles to the road, whereby passers-by will be able to readily observey nuts 1l are released permitting the hoolr bolts 10'to be withdrawn suiiiciently to allow the plates 'to be removed through the small recesses between the ends vof the hooks and the shanks.

With my structure all of the display plates are supported a considerable distance above the ground and are disposedl crosswise'of the road and so arrangedas to obstruct a minimum of the View from the road while i nevertheless necessarily attracting the attention of passers-by. By placing informat-ionv of value to tourists, such as the mileage to the neXt town on the centrally located upper panel the "tourist or passers-by must necessarily simultaneously view the advertising plates. Several states have'passed laws prohibiting outdoor advertising on highways which obstructs or mars the beauty of the scenery at the sides of the road. My sign structure is unobjectionable and has already been approved ofin the State of North Dakota.

In many road signs commercially manufactured at this time where cross pieces are employed, the support 1s made of tubular structure and the cross pieces secured to the post by malleable or cast fittings threadedly or otherwise securing the parts together. ln many cases the fittings which are subjected to the strain of heavy winds andr snow storms break, thus requiring'servicing and replacement. llith my structure the joint between the cross piece and the support is stronger than any vother part of the sign and the display plates are connected and affixed in such manner that they cannot be displaced or released by heavy winds and that furthermore theyr will'last for an indefinite period.

F rom the foregoing description it will be seen that l have provided an extremely simple buthighly Vehcient sign especially adapt-y ed for installation upon roads or highways, presenting au ornate andneat appearance, of great durability and adapted to withstand heavy ,winds and inclement weather. rlhe construction and combination of the several parts makes the signespecially adaptable for a highway sign where information as to the next town or the highway is displayed on the upper panels, while advertising matter is prominently'displayed on the sign panels Y 9 -below the cross piece.

' lt will, of course, be understood that various changesmay be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing .from the scope of applicants invention. Y 1

What is'claiined'is:

VA sign comprising a. tubular upright post having a semi-circular recess formed inthe upper end thereof,l a cross piece of circular cross section and of smaller; diameter than said post nested in said recessed portion and rigidly secured thereto, said cross piece having arms of equal length'projecting hori-V zontally from said post, hook bolts having vertical shanlrs extendingV through said cross piece and having vdepending hook portions adapted to be clamped against the under side of said` cross piece and a pair of detachable sign panels disposedV on opposite sides of said post and swingably supported from said hook portions.

ln testimony whereof l my signature.

WlLLlAM. H. CARSON. 

